The Poultry Keeper The Independent Forum for Poultry Keepers    FAQ   Search     Register   Log in  Anyone know much about Effective Microorganisms/Bokashi/EM Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  Next          The Poultry Keeper Forum Index -> General & Misc Author Message em-chicken Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 18 Location: Lancashire Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:18 am    Post subject: CP Activated EM is 'EM' that has been fermented with molasses and water in a similar fashion to brewing wine - ie under anaerobic conditions or in other words in an airtight container. The afore mentioned 'EM' that is fermented is EM-1, this is the 'EM' microbes in a dormant state and the form in which it is sold. By 'activating' the EM-1, the microbes are brought out of their dormant state and multiply, therefore both their numbers & potency is increased along with their effectiveness. Bokashi on the other hand is bran that has been fermented with EM-1 for several weeks, and is in effect a 'carrier' for the microbes, hence it's use for composting waste and for keepers of chucks, as a very effective 'probiotic'. This is why adding 'activated' EM to the drinking water has a similar effect to adding bokashi bran to the feed. The former is far more cost effective! The liquid produced as a result of bokashi composting is something different and although will have some EMs in it, is not to be confused with activated EM. EM-1 can only be 'activated' once - in other words, you can't brew up a batch and then use a portion of it to brew some more etc etc, which I think is what I have read elsewhere on the forum, this is because the correct balance of the different microbes becomes changed and so does it's effectiveness. Does this help or cofuse you even more? Back to top CP Moderator Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 14107 Location: Hampshire Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:17 am    Post subject: Errr.... Let me read this again in the morning! Back to top Gilly C Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2200 Location: South Cumbria Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:19 pm    Post subject: Hubby sais Tesco had a Bokashi bin today !! he said they had a whole section on Green products , I will have to investigate Back to top Duckie Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 198 Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:12 am    Post subject: the cheapest place I found bokashi boxes was at recyclenow.com - 2 for £25 (thats also the people councils give discounted compost bins through) They also sell bran quite cheap and if you buy the boxes there's a leaflet which gives you free delivery on the bran, wheras if you order online you have to pay delivery. By far the simplest way to do it seems to be to buy some bran and start with that - the fermenting thing is undoubtedly cheaper in the long term but it takes me about 3 months and less than a bag of bran (£3.50's worth) to fill a bokashi box - I don't feed it to the animals which would obviously up the price but to try it out the bran seems to do most stuff and be much less complicated. Back to top Bhindi Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 1353 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:36 pm    Post subject: Yes I went for the recyclenow promotion of 2 for £25. though I think Im in for a wait for them,.... they say upto 28 days. Back to top ntsmama Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 233 Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:53 am    Post subject: I'm still waiting for my 2 for £25 order. I ordered it mid december. I rang them and they said to expect ot early february. Back to top Bhindi Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 1353 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:44 am    Post subject: Thats a bit of a long wait... I wonder if the bran I ordered from them will come at the same time or will arrive sooner. Back to top ntsmama Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 233 Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:43 pm    Post subject: Despite being fed bokashi bran my chooks' business is still very aromatic - in the yucky sense. I must be doing something wrong?? Back to top Bhindi Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 1353 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:36 am    Post subject: I gave my girls some, and it didnt appear to change anything. In the pen every day there is some really nasty oily brown ones, that I have never deemed to be healthy, but they never occur at night.. As they've been going on so long, I think its because their eating some plant thats disagreable, if I'm right no amount of good organisms would probably help. Back to top em-chicken Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 18 Location: Lancashire Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:33 pm    Post subject: ntsmama How long have you been feeding them the bokashi? Quote: Despite being fed bokashi bran my chooks' business is still very aromatic - in the yucky sense. The reason I ask, is because I believe the gut flora and fauna of a chicken (birds) is somewhat different to other animals and it may take a little while for the EM in the bokashi start to take effect? If their droppings are creating a pong in coop, try spraying some acitivated EM around it, you'll be suprised how effective it is. I give my housing a good spray with activated EM at fairly regularily and it makes big difference. Have you tried adding some activated EM to their drinking water instead, it is a more ecconomic way of giving it to them? Anyone interested in EM and poultry, might be interested in reading this article about the use of EM Technology of on a commercial goose farm in Germany, who having started using EM, they were then subjected to the problems of having to cope with a local outbreak of avian flu (i.e. keeping their flock inside!!!!) - the link is below. Think you'll find it rather interesting! Here Last edited by em-chicken on Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:24 am; edited 1 time in total Back to top ntsmama Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 233 Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:47 pm    Post subject: They've been eating it on and off for a few weeks but i must admit it hasn't been every single day. i wish they would drink out of their drinker instead of out of mucky puddles! When you say to spray activated EM do you mean the liquid that I brew in my Garden Yogurt Maker (starter+water+molasses brewed for 7 days)? Or do i dilute it? How often do i need to change the chooks' bedding if i spray with activated EM? Sorry about all the questions! Back to top Woodburner Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 556 Location: Deepest Essex, well, a village... Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:20 am    Post subject: Wow! ntsmama you really know your Bokashi stuff! What's a 'garden yoghurt maker'? Would a 'kitchen yoghurt maker' do? Thanks for bumping the topic, too. I tried ordering the bins some time ago but couldn't. They seemed not to be available in my area, but your link prompted me to try again, and this time there was a link for them, that wasn't there before Back to top em-chicken Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 18 Location: Lancashire Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:22 am    Post subject: ntsmama you're spot on! For spraying roud the coop, dilute 100ml in a litre of water (10% solution) - if added to drinking water use 10ml/litre. Back to top ntsmama Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 233 Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:18 pm    Post subject: Woodburner wrote: Wow! ntsmama you really know your Bokashi stuff! What's a 'garden yoghurt maker'? Would a 'kitchen yoghurt maker' do? I too thought of using my kitchen yogurt maker but it isn't the same thing. Here's some info: http://www.emproducts.co.uk/EM-A.htm and http://tinyurl.com/25fua9 I got mine from here: http://tinyurl.com/2nnzbu I highly recommend it. Back to top ntsmama Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 233 Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:53 pm    Post subject: Found this fascinating link: http://tinyurl.com/yv9ru5 I had no idea it had so many uses!! Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First         The Poultry Keeper Forum Index -> General & Misc All times are GMT + 1 Hour Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  Next Page 4 of 7 Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group